Easy and quick warm items for homeless (need patterns)

#1

[FONT=Arial]Hello everyone. My brother, sister, mom and I are knitting for the homeless this year, and when we’re done (around September), we are going to go and turn in all of our items into the homeless shelters. What I am asking for are some patterns that you guys might know of that are warm, quick to knit, and possibly take up very little yardage so that I can mass produce them (although that’s a far stretch, so it’s not required lol). Also, patterns that are easy to memorize are appreciated as well. Some of the things I am looking for are:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Scarfs[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Blankets[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Hats[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Slippers[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Mittens/gloves (even fingerless work, but I like the fingerless gloves that have the little pouch at the top that you slip over your fingers that turns the gloves into mitttens)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Leg warmers[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Arm warmers[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Body warmers[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Facewarmers (I guess like ski masks)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Any other warm items that you can think of that comes in handy (especially those of you that are living on the east coast, or north west coast)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]We’ll be donating in southern California, and although some people might not think it gets too cold down here, if you spend one night in a tent in Los Angeles county, you’ll see how the cold is a problem for these homeless people. I can’t do much to help them, but at the very least I would like to keep them from freezing and give them a warm night’s sleep.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]I can use straight needles and circulars, and DPN’s to a point (my experience is limited to finishing hats on DPN’s, but I’m sure I can learn if the pattern is functional enough). My sister has the same skills, my mom only uses straight needles for now, and my brother is using looms at this point (he has 3 of the hat looms and the straight loom).[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Thanks for much for all of your help! I really appreciate it![/FONT]

#2

THANK YOU!!! U ROCK!!! here, I hope these websites help!
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2019206/knitted_ski_mask_or_balaclava_patterns.html
http://shopcompareus.com/ac/search.php?phrase=Knitting%20Patterns%20For%20Face%20Warmers&uid=536e4bdab77e644af6d47735f4589eab&kuid=ca4366e6f13e65e4b3941b89d7e5017b&src=ads&partner=valary-9082561
http://goodtimesithinkso.blogspot.com/2009/10/loving-hands-body-warmer-charity.html


this next one is all for mittens/gloves!:
http://knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/mittens_gloves.php
this next one is all for scarves and cowls!:
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/scarves.htm
this one also!:

This one v is for hats!!!:
http://knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/hats.php
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/hats.htm

#3

Scarf: My favorite quick scarf is the Scrunchable Scarf.

Blanket: To make a simple blanket, just cast on 200 stitches and knit every row. Change colors as you run out of each yarn. (It will take several skeins of yarn to make a blanket.)

Hat: Bev’s Really Basic Stretchy Hat is very easy to make, and comes in 7 sizes (infant to adult)

Slippers: Good, warm slipper that teaches sock construction. Tropical Punch Slipper Socks

Mittens/Gloves: Simple Mittens from Coats & Clark website.
Mittens for All

Face Warmers: I’ve made a couple of these Helmetliners.

[I]I found the photos online for some of the projects. [/I]
[I]I made some of them myself.[/I]

#4

There’s also a site at www.bevscountry cottage.com. Bev has charity patterns for all ages. Don’t forget to knit a few pairs for your local elementary school. Kids are always coming into the office looking for hats, scarves, and mittens when the weather gets cold. God bless you for what you’re doing.

#5

I looked at the pattern for the Scrunchable Scarf

“(plus one on each edge for a selvage)” - how is the selvage edge done?

#6

My favorite website for quick, easy patterns is Bev’s Country Cottage. Many of her patterns are knit on straight needles. Click the links for babies, children, and winter on the top.
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/ I’d suggest knitting tube socks as they’ll fit anybody without any heel shaping. Here’s a pattern for one that you could do either in the round or on straight needles.
http://gailbable.tripod.com/id34.html

I’m currently trying to get a head start on winter. I’m knitting mittens for children at my local elementary school. The staff tells me kids are coming to the office every day looking for some. To save money, try the one pound skeins of yarn. They go a long way. There’s Lion brand Pound of Love and Caron’s One Pound Yarn. I get mine from Walmart and Joann Fabrics.
www.joann.com online

Thanks for doing this!

#7

The selvage is created all by itself. Just do the K2, P1 over and over again on each row, and you’ll start to see it happen.

Of course, you could add an extra stitch at each end if you want, to make a different selvage. Some people do this, and just knit the first and last stitch of every row, with the stitch pattern in between. I never do that, though - and I’ve been happy with the way my scarves have turned out without the extra selvage stitches.

That pattern is great for making a nice, quick, reversible scarf.